Sara Netanyahu sparks backlash over claim about Yair Golan and October 7

Sara Netanyahu has triggered a political backlash in Israel after sharing a conspiracy claim that opposition figure Yair Golan knew in advance about the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023. The remarks were made in a television interview broadcast on Monday evening and quickly drew condemnation from opposition politicians. The row comes as Israel prepares for parliamentary elections expected on 27 October.

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In the interview, the wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Golan was "already dressed and ready" at dawn on 7 October 2023, while others knew nothing, including the prime minister. Golan is a former deputy military chief of staff and now leads the centre-left Democrats party. The interview was broadcast on Channel 14, a television outlet seen as close to the government.

The response from the opposition was immediate. Golan's party said it strongly condemned what it called "vile and deceitful" remarks, saying that spreading conspiracies against him and smearing his conduct on 7 October crossed a red line. Gadi Eisenkot, a former army chief and one of the leading challengers to Benjamin Netanyahu, also criticised the comments, describing them as a "mad conspiracy of betrayal" intended to stoke hatred and prolong Netanyahu's rule.

The dispute lands in a highly charged political atmosphere ahead of the election. The 7 October attacks remain the deadliest day in Israel's history, and debate over responsibility for the security failure has continued to shape public life since then. Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly deflected blame for the attack, saying security officials should have woken him from his sleep, while criticism of the government's handling of the crisis has remained a central issue in domestic politics.

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The latest row also reflects a wider pattern of conspiracy claims circulating in parts of Israel's political debate. A poll conducted for Channel 13 in August found that 40 percent of Israelis, and 63 percent of voters for the current right-wing coalition, believed internal treason led to the 7 October attack. That backdrop helps explain why the comments by Sara Netanyahu have resonated so strongly and why they have been treated by opponents as more than a personal attack.

What remains unclear is whether the remarks will have any direct effect on the election campaign or on the standing of the figures involved. The immediate question is whether the controversy will deepen existing political polarisation in the run-up to the vote. It is also unclear whether Benjamin Netanyahu or his office will respond publicly to the criticism of his wife's comments.

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